Germany, Estonia submit new resolution for global ceasefire to UNSC

Germany and Estonia submitted on Tuesday a new resolution to the UN Security Council on a ceasefire in various conflicts around the world during the coronavirus pandemic, news wires reported. It will replace one drafted by France and Tunisia that the United States has blocked.

Encompassing five major points, compared to the previous draft's nine, the proposal by the two non-permanent members of the Security Council and seen by AFP "demands a general and immediate cessation of hostilities in all situations on its agenda." Such a move is intended to help some 20 countries in crisis or at war battle the coronavirus.

As in the French-Tunisian resolution, the new proposal calls for a "humanitarian pause for at least 90 consecutive days" in order to allow for the delivery of aid to the hardest-hit communities.

A date has not yet been set for the vote, but it could happen quickly if none of the five permanent Council members threatens to use its veto, as when Washington criticized the mention of the World Health Organization (WHO) in the French-Tunisian resolution.

The German-Estonian text makes no mention of the WHO, so the uncertainty resides with China, which until the last minute insisted on a reference to the UN health group, even an implicit one.

The new resolution was proposed Tuesday during a teleconference held behind closed doors and organized by Estonia, which holds the rotating presidency of the Security Council. The resolution was submitted in the afternoon.

One of the diplomats, speaking on condition of anonymity, said China declared in the meeting that it backed swift action in the council.

At the end of last week, Beijing and Washington both denied responsibility for the breakdown of negotiations led by Paris and Tunis.The US stunned the Council on Friday by blocking the resolution from going forward, stating that Washington "cannot support the current draft." The reversal came a day after Washington had agreed to the text, negotiators said on condition of anonymity.

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